Oklahoma Sooners tab future Pro Football Hall of Famer to lead overhaul of offensive position room
The Oklahoma Sooners have hired their next tight ends coach to replace Joe Jon Finley, hiring former Dallas Cowboys legend Jason Witten.
The Oklahoma Sooners made waves last week before the opening of the transfer portal, firing former tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley. Fans had been clamoring for that move for years, and the Sooners finally caved and have decided to completely remake their tight end room.
After a long search that involved many coaches from all walks of football, including rumors surrounding Bryan Ellis from the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Sooners have brought in their next tight ends coach, bringing in former Dallas Cowboys legend and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Witten to fill that capacity.
What Jason Witten brings to the Sooners
Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has spent the last five seasons as the head coach at Liberty Christian High School in Texas. Over the last three years, Liberty Christian has gone 35-5 with Witten at the helm and have a pair of Texas state championships to show for it.
Witten is obviously one of the best tight ends in NFL and Cowboys history, holding the second-most career receptions and receiving yards for the position, along with Dallas Cowboys franchise records for receptions, yards, and games played, and the NFL tight end record for most games played. The four-time All-Pro and 11-time Pro Bowler is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
His name recognition and pedigree buys him a lot of goodwill on the recruiting trail, but his track record as a coach is intriguing. At Liberty Christian, he turned a struggling program into a multi-state champion in Texas virtually overnight. While we don’t know exactly how he will be with just one room to manage, his experience and pedigree brings a good deal of credibility to his ability as a coach, something the Sooners haven’t really had in that room for years.
Additionally, Witten has a strong connection with current Oklahoma running backs coach Demarco Murray, as the two were teammates in Dallas. Witten’s son, Cooper, is a five-star recruit in the 2027 class that the Sooners have been heavily recruiting for years now as well.
Witten has never coached at the collegiate ranks before, but his acumen and ability are well-documented. Jerry Jones was only half-joking when he remarked about hiring Witten to lead the Cowboys some months ago. It’s a risky hire, but this feels like the splash move the Sooners need to kickstart the rebuild in that room.
Oklahoma’s Tight End room in 2025
With the Sooners, Witten will oversee a room undergoing a complete makeover. Oklahoma, through graduations and transfers (processing the room), has lost their top four (and maybe five soon) tight ends from 2025. However, they have already taken steps to add two big time players in Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers to pair with two freshmen the Sooners are high on in Tyler Ruxer and Ryder Mix.
We’ll see how Witten does in the long run, as he’s never coached a single position at the collegiate ranks. However, he is one of the best players at his position in the history of the game, and he’s already well-established as a leader and brilliant coach. This feels like a strong hire that boosts the floor and the ceiling of the program.
Oklahoma Sooners News
Oklahoma Sooners steal star wide receiver from hated rival Longhorns who will be John Mateer’s favorite weapon next season
The Oklahoma Sooners have flipped a talented playmaker, Parker Livingstone from hated rival Texas Longhorns, to bolster their offense.
